Flight of the Lost Iris
by Arrylle Gamere
Summary: Shiromy is an outsider. The Nightworld destroyed her family's lives and Circle Daybreak was not there in her greatest hour of need...now, life is taking strange turns and her friends are returning to the Night. Then there's Jesse... R
1. Chapter One: Return to Me

Disclaimer: The Nightworld concepts and characters used in this story belong to the one and only L.J. Smith. Lyrics used are not mine either, but the rest of it is.  
  


  
Chapter One  
  
"Just see if I don't get him this time, I _know_ I will…"   
  
She silently assured herself, eyes flashing expectantly. It was the beginning of the final school year and Shiromy Garson's thoughts summoned the image of a certain male individual with hair the colour of dusty mahogany in moonlight. Oh yes, there was certainly nothing intriguing about him.   
  
He had laughing forest-green eyes that could also unfortunately beat you in death-staring competitions. "Not that I've been involved in too many of those," she reminded herself and appropriately rolled her eyes.  
  
She gave the class list on the noticeboard once last gaze and reluctantly dragged herself away from his name. Jesse Ingram. Two such simple words that could light a hundred fires within her. Two such simple words that have the capacity to give you the adrenalin rush you know exercise could never give you.   
  
"I can't believe it! Ghastly Garson is in every one of Jesse's classes. I haven't been in a single one with him since Grade 10! Life is sooo… unfair!" A crestfallen worshipper of Jesse Ingram whined as she lamented to her equally disappointed friend.   
  
Shiromy shrugged at their retreating backs.   
  
" Too bad for you. It would have been such a waste on his behalf anyway. I on the other hand, have started making plans already. She sighed contentedly to herself, continuing to indulge in fantasies that may spring to reality. "I'll get to his locker before he gets to it some morning and…"   
  
Her thoughts drifted as dozens of others breathtaking situations began to pile rapidly on top of each other in her clouded head like a pack of cards.   
  
"Oh. I can't bear it- how totally he occupies my mind! Away, away O Yummy dreams."  
  
Besides, it's not as if this was the first time she destiny allotted her to all of his classes. Ever since high school, she HAS been in at least half of them- Even in primary school, she was lucky to always have him near.   
  
It's just that she never had the opportunity. Luck had not quite smiled on her way in that aspect.   
  
…but last year; last year it was as though a raging thunderstorm had been smouldered by an invisible hand. Goddess, she had been almost…devastated.  
  
"Never mind, I'm a lucky ducky now."  
  
Shiromy looked at her watch. She had been thinking about him for an hour. Shaking her head in wonder, she hummed gleefully to herself as she somehow breezed along the crowded corridor to her first class.  
  
Where of course, Jesse will doubtlessly be….  
  


  
~_In touch with the ground  
I'm on the hunt I'm after you  
Smell like I sound I'm lost in a crowd.  
And I'm hungry like the wolf_.~  
  
   
  
*******  
  
Please please review and tell me what u think! I'll wish a thousand good karmas upon u!!!!!


	2. Chapter Two: Monday Morning

Chapter 2: Monday Morning  
  
She walked into her form room, looking searchingly around the room for her friends.  
  
"Ro-meeee!" a shrilly voice trilled. She smiled, as she looked at Jade Nightingale, friend of ten years and shapeshifter. She was rocking on her chair as usual, looking like a blissful bird on a swing.  
  
"I have a joke for you," she whispered, grinning. "What did the Maccas chick say to a vampire customer after the meal, when he handed her a tip? …Fangs! Did you enjoy your meal sir? Hahaha!"   
  
" Wow Jade. That is the best vamp joke I've ever heard," Shiromy said sarcastically, shaking her head with pity. "Not to say it sounds a lit-tle familiar. Maybe you should compile one of those awful joke books, because let's face it, even Philomena the Philosopher here knows better jokes than that…hey, maybe she should be your chief editor!"  
  
The so- called chief potential chief editor sighed as she sat down next to her friends, laying her chin on her hand in mock smugness. "Still haven't changed much since Grade One have we?" she said affectionately. Philomena Harman absentmindedly twirled a strand of her hair, currently her natural light blonde with thick, strawberry-red streaks. She had also changed her coloured eye contacts, now an indigo colour.  
  
"She resembles the Cheshire cat in Alice in Wonderland and still manages to look stunning," Shiromy thought admiringly. Aloud she said: "Geez Phil! What's with the crazy hair? Oooh but won't that get you in trouble!"  
  
"No stupid. Mrs Bunsen even said it looks rather… chic."  
  
"Chic," snorted Jade and said nothing. She found it rather annoying that somehow; Philomena had the magical ability to charm the teachers about, and never had any conflict with them, no matter what she did. "Hmmm…maybe she has been activating her witchcraft lately- after all, seventeen years is a long time to put up with not being able to do what others like you can do," she thought to herself.  
  
"How do you guys do it," groaned Shiromy in exasperation. "You're both into all that NW partying and the fashion and still manage to achieve straight A's. I can't get a single A even if I well…try," she trailed sheepishly.  
  
"Well, that's exactly where you're wrong isn't it- you know you DON'T try hard enough. When it comes to homework, you just…sit there either dreaming or fuming away!" argued Philomena.  
  
"Yeah! You never come to the parties, even after all our peer pressuring you…and we tried to fix up the fashion bit, but it's not our bloody fault if you don't wanna co- operate! We've been through all this before," chided Jade.   
  
Shiromy knew they were right.   
  
Besides, she remembered last year, when they attempted to give her the World's Greatest Makeover. Sadly, it did not quite work out. Not only did she end up looking like a bashed up Cabbage Patch doll, her messy but thick black hair just could not be straightened. After half an hour's consultation with the hair straightener, her 'crowning glory' had stayed limp and frizzy, as though she had recently been electrocuted.   
  
"It's not happening guys," she had muttered hopelessly, voice unsteady. "I'll always be stuck like this… a… a perfect cavewoman."  
  
"You know what? Maybe you should try bio- ionics, that should do the trick," Jade chirped in enthusiastically.  
  
"Or maybe a glamour spell," Philomena had quietly suggested, fingers tingling with the urge to use her witch's powers.  
  
"NO Phil, not another 'let's turn her hair into a beautiful tree', just forget it ok? Just forget it! I'll never be like you guys! What's the use? I'm your mutated vampire remember? The one and only plain Nightworlder!"   
  
She had stomped off angrily, as her friends looked on, dismayed and dejected that they couldn't do anything to help their friend, who had always been there for them, helping them whenever she could and lending a shoulder to cry or laugh on.   
  
Of course, the unlucky girl had felt like a bitch and had immediately made up with her loyal friends afterwards.   
  
"It doesn't matter though Romy," Phil broke in to her reverie. " We love and adore you anyway, and then you know you have gorgeous eyes- that's why it's you the guys go after," she said with a conclusive nod.   
  
Shiromy however, registered all but one word.  
  
"Guys," she echoed surreptitiously, dark eyes glittering with hawkish anticipation. "You know what that word brings to mind don't you girls?"   
  
The three friends remained silent for a mysterious moment while their peers were laughing and gossiping to each other around them. It was evident that they were thinking about the same thing in that particular instance.   
  
"Oh, and Jesse Ingram's in all my classes y'know?" Shiromy offhandedly sounded their collective thought with a wolfish smile spreading across her face. "BOY do we have some work to do…"   
  
Suddenly she realised that her friends were no longer listening to her. Instead, they were wordlessly staring at something over her shoulder. Shiromy slowly turned around, her smile gradually disappearing.   
  
Sure enough, Jesse Ingram was in front of her, about an inch away from her face…  
  
*******  
  
Thanks to Pandie Katteken for reviewing the first chapter! Well you're soon to find out about Jesse- most probably in the next one! ;) 


	3. Chapter Three: Blush and Burn

Chapter Three

Shiromy gasped and stumbled away from him, consequently crashing unceremoniously onto Jade's desk, bottom first.

Jesse crossed his arms and tried to hold back a grin, while she briskly seated herself next to her friends, trying to shut out the laughter of her peers (who had no doubt, taken notice of the whole sequence).

"Uh, Thanks," he sniggered teasingly. " Mornin' to you too Garson! Hmm, it's nice to…"

"_Don't_, Ingram- can't you see? She's embarrassed already!" Philomena hissed at him, coming to her flustered friend's defence. 

He snorted at these words and threw an amused glance at Shiromy, eyes still dancing with unexpressed laughter. 

Without another word, he sat right next to her and was soon flocked by his friends and the rest of the female population of the class. 

Cursing herself silently, Shiromy wished she had said something smooth rather than acting the tumbling idiot. 

"Where _are_ all those blasted one- liners when you need them?" she pondered, adjusting her glasses and trying to appear calm and collected. If she were a few shades lighter than her own complexion, he would have had the additional delight of seeing her blush crimson. 

Glancing at her friends, she realised that they shared her embarrassment. Shiromy sighed and stared at her desk. So much for her wonderful plans…

…………

"Goddess, he looks hotter than ever," whispered Philomena as they walked away from the classroom, ignoring the jeers their classmates gave Shiromy. School was over for the day. 

"Oooh I would've thrown myself at him! He was standing _so_ close to you Romy, so close!" squeaked Jade, shaking her elegant chestnut bangs, hazel eyes bright with excitement. 

Shiromy glared at her.

"Do you know how…" a pause as Jesse strode past them with his friends, chuckling and turning to give her a two- fingered salute. "…_humiliating_ that was! Actually, 'humiliating' is an understatement." she finished, exhaling sharply. 

All throughout the school day, she was forced to pay minimal attention to what was being discussed in class. This was due to the fact that Jesse had gone into the trouble of ensuring that he was seated beside her in every lesson. And maybe also because he had bestowed various suggestive winks and smiles on her every so often…

"He must've known that I could not help looking at him," she thought. 

Shiromy watched her friends gawk at the subject of her musings cruising swiftly down the road in his car, stereo thumping infectiously. She looked away and at once, realised something. 

"Guys, he has a _Ferrari_ now. Maybe I…"

"Go easy on him Rom, it's not as if you're…"

"Bah! I always have to be the piggy in the middle don't I?" Shiromy retorted.

"…deadset on getting another truckload of detentions this year. We are seniors now and you should behave more…"

"Whatever you say, Miss Perfect Prefect, I'll still…"

"For goodness sake, _you're_ the one who ends up in trouble anyway!" tweeted an annoyed Jade. "Romy, you _have_ to let him go," she pleaded to no avail. Her aggravated friend marched off to the bus- top and stood away from them. 

Jade sighed and looked at Philomena. "What are we gonna do Phil? I feel so sorry for her. She has been bearing all these harrowing feelings for too long and…"

"I've got it!" whispered Philomena, energetically. "Let's set her up with Sanjo! He'd always kinda liked her you know!" 

Jade looked a little sceptical and reluctant. 

"But he's an Old Soul…" she began.

"…And she only thinks of him as a friend. I think." Philomena added, starting to look unsure herself. "If only we were part of the Nightworld. Who knows? Maybe we could've even found our Soulmates by now. Poor old Romy wouldn't be wasting herself on…you know who," she concluded quietly.

Her friend sneaked a suspicious look at them; remains of a dark frown still lingering cloudily on her face.

"I heard that Phil. I heard the words 'Nightworld' and 'Soulmate'.  What makes you think that our soulmates will be Nightworlders? I thought _you_ of all people, would know that they could just as easily be humans! Imagine Jade in her bird form, singing her little heart out for her um…pleasantly surprised boyfriend. Ohhhh, how quaint!" 

Shiromy's friends were glad. Her old cynicism had returned; the sulkiness miraculously vanquished. 

"Well- since you're yourself now and not a vicious vamp, we can catch the bus safely without fearing you'll drain everyone out," kidded Philomena, dodging Shiromy's slinging palm. 

As they got on the bus and chatted on the way home, Shiromy's friends did not hear what she was keenly thinking. 

"I'll get you yet," she gravely decided.

~ _I won't be broken again _~

*******


	4. Chapter Four: Friends and Acquaintances

Chapter Four

Jesse could see her looking away in annoyance as he drove away from the interchange. It was all open- mouthed amazement from her friends, but he could not care less. What he wanted to see were her dark eyes, full of envy and wonder at seeing his new Ferrari. He felt the disappointment creep into his veins and tried to call it back. They might notice it in his voice, in his face…

"…I would love to get my hands on her!" growled a voice from the backseat. It belonged to Blayde, one of his best friends. 

"Really? Garson? Since when?" asked Jesse with more than a little curiosity. He thought he heard a mysterious sound of a book being fumbled behind him.

"No- not _Garson_, her blonde friend. She's so hot…so different from the others. Should really go about getting with her…"

Jesse silently smirked at him. 

"The poor bastard. He doesn't know he'd never be able to do that. She's Nightworld, more or less, and now a Harman to top it off," he thought amusedly but sadly at the same time. Blayde Dashward with his beach looks and wicked humour, had the reputation of replacing girls like clothes, but Jesse knew that Philomena had always meant something special to him. Naturally Blayde had never summoned the courage to do anything about it.

 "What if she's a witch and might turn you into a friggin' toad or something?" he said aloud sneakily, over the sound of a distinct 'ahem'. 

"Ha ha. You're so bloody funny or what! She would only turn me into a…prince," said Blayde suggestively, licking his lips.

"Dream on Fluffhead," muttered Sanjo Miyoko from the opposite end of the backseat. He was the odd one out of Jesse's many acquaintances, but they have somehow managed to get on very well. Mainly owing to the fact that he was one of the few realists among them.

"Sanjo, you sad, sad man; why the hell are you reading the freakin' Maths book?" cried Blayde with a start.

"I'm just wondering whether the answer in the book is wrong that's all…have you guys done Chapter 15?" Since Blayde just gave him a stupefied look, Sanjo sighed and regarded his other friend with some hope. "What about you Ingram?"

"Um, well I haven't gone _that_ far mate…you can ask me anything about Chapter 1 though- we did do that in class today…"

Jesse grinned as he heard Blayde groan.

"Aw man! We seriously need to get him a life, don't we Ingram? Joe ol' buddy, _no- one_ and I mean _no- one_, does friggin' Maths in the holidays! What's _wrong_ with you?" exclaimed an utterly disgusted Blayde, tapping his newly studious friend on the head. "Where's that party guy gone huh? What are you now? A goddamn professor?" he asked incredulously.

"Sock it thicko! Where's 24 hour partying going to get you anyhow? Wake up! It's Year 12!" yelled Sanjo insanely.

They were quietened for some time, and the conveyor of the foreboding reminder himself broke the gloomy silence.

"Well actually, I'd rather we didn't have to put up with all this either. It's there…hanging about our heads like some big cloud. We can only beat it by uh, giving our academic studies our best shot…right?" he said meekly.

There was a thoughtful pause.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean we can't have a bit of fun…oh I think I just 'saw' a speed limit sign saying '140'. We're holding up the traffic don't you reckon guys? We should speed up," reasoned Jesse.

"Great idea!" shouted two voices from the back seat simultaneously.

"…but just make sure there's no living things on the road okay?" added Sanjo, ignoring Blayde's snort. 

 The three friends hooted in glee as they raced down the road, nearly crashing onto someone's trashcan along the way. The owner of the endangered bin shook his fist at them.

"Bloody hoons!" he bellowed.

"Nah mate, we're just responsible students!" returned Sanjo, putting his head out of the window. His friends laughed to see him regain some of his old mirth.

They came to a halt at Sanjo's house, still recovering from the short but invigorating ride.

"Alright Dash. You can come over today, but try do some work! Don't worry. I'll help you figure out what one plus one equals if necessary," said Sanjo reassuringly.

Blayde gave him the finger as he trudged off towards his friend's house, answering Sanjo's 'No, it equals two!' with a derisive grunt.

Jesse suddenly noticed someone staring furtively at them from the lounge room window.

"Hey Joe! Seems you're having another visitor," he commented, while Sanjo turned his eyes to where Jesse was looking. "Who's that?" he added.

" I dunno…well I might…geez it's him, whatshisface? Haven't seen him for yonks," said Sanjo, raising a tentative hand at his visitor.

" 'Right then. Catchya later," said Jesse.

He got back into his car and started driving. Trying to recall where he had seen that face before, he suddenly remembered. Memories of disguised childhood games and exposed fangs plunged unwelcome into his mind. 

"It's that loser again," he thought dismally. "Never mind, if worse comes to worse, you can always use one of Mum and Dad's old .54 sharps and give him a good jab," he decided. "I wonder what he'd grown into, that bloodsucking monster."

Jesse tried to picture him as a 'sober' vampire, even a Daybreaker, but found it to be incredibly unrealistic. He was a Nightworlder, and Nightworlders do not usually do magical attitude u-turns.

"Vermin, they call us," his mother used to sneer with bitter contempt. "They call us vermin when _they_ are the real parasites, preying on our blood." 

Jesse's parents taught him never to trust the Nightworld mind, never to look twice at them, because once you do, it's all 'food glorious food, happily ever after' for them. Jesse knew these simple facts because his parents have been vampire hunters. They used to be the sole owners and operators of a successful hunting company called Ingram & Spender Corporated. 

"…and I've got their blood whether I want it or not, so I'd kill him if he tries to dine on _anyone_," he promised himself determinedly.

Jesse could not comprehend _how_ the Sanjos could tolerate the Nightworld. Being Daybreakers, they had a preposterous habit of giving such murderous creeps 'second chances' when there was simple, more efficient means. However, it was going to cost them big time. 

"The Millennium Battle indeed," he muttered sarcastically. What was it? Some great publicity stunt? Those who 'knew' remembered how the good side sang peace and

harmony from the top of their lungs…and where were they now? Things have not changed much since the wonderful 'Battle'. 

'They really haven't changed one friggin' bit," he thought bitterly, wishing he could wipe out the entire Nightworld off the face of the Earth with a single blow.

*******

He drove into the deserted car park, surveying the area carefully for prying eyes. Detecting none, he got out of the car and swiftly leaped over the old concrete wall that divided the innocuous looking car park from the Premises. Brushing some dust off himself, he traced a gloved finger over the feint outline of the opening to the Gate. 

"Iris," he murmured impatiently in a frequency outside human threshold, wishing the Leader would just hurry up and hear his report. What's the whole deal with the security crap? It's not as if any stupid intruder would barge in anyway…or have they become so pathetic and minute that they are in fear and awe of the Daybreakers?

Suddenly the concrete grated open at his feet, and he descended down the stone steps quickly, coming face to face with the Leader himself.

"Sire! I thought perhaps the Committee Meeting has not yet finished…"

The leader tilted his head and smirked haughtily, pleased that he had yet another under his power, another one to call him 'sire'. 

"It has member. How are operations proceeding?"

"Fine, if you're inquiring about amenities. Thanks for the vehicles by the way. Not everyone gets a Ferrari _and _a Harley Da…"

"I'm asking about _operations_, not the goddamned car!"

"It's only the first day sire…oh actually, I'm happy to inform you that I have one possible suspect in mind…"

"Ah, now you're getting somewhere. Well what can you tell me?" asked the Leader attentively.

"I've suspected that devil for a while. Was on first name terms at one time. Cripes! I thought he'd look like either of his parents, but no, he doesn't! I'd chop him up and boil him alive even if he isn't the one."

The leader laughed coolly, patting his employee on the shoulder. Maybe _this one_ can accomplish the task. He is as ruthless as his parents once were. The same beautiful, black blood. The perfect match for the job description.

He was relieved to see the approval in the Leader's eyes. This alone took him one step closer to his ultimate goal. 

"Do whatever it takes to destroy the freak. I've heard about your…dream young man. No results and you're fired. Get it right, and you get what you want. Is that clear?"

"Yes sire," he bowed briefly to the Leader, who faded into the depths of the makeshift enclave. 

"I sure damn will," he thought, eyes glinting menacingly; the hidden embers within at once sparking with longing.

*******


	5. Chapter Five: Revelations

Chapter Five

"Oh I don't get it! It's so confusing dammit!" screeched Shiromy frustratedly, stabbing her desk repeatedly with a pencil. 

"Careful! You might stab yourself with it, and we know it wouldn't heal in a hurry," warned Sanjo, leaning his head on his hand. He gazed at her silently and looked away when she frowned.

"What?" she asked, trying to end her tantrum. "Look. Not everyone in this world can be as smart as you. I mean, _come on_, Physics isn't my best subject, but I'm trying…you think I'm hopeless don't you?" she concluded glumly, slouching down on her chair.

"No that's not what I was thinking! I was thinking about something else. Er…don't worry about it."

"Ah a secret! Come on, out with it! I'll be the first to know!" 

Sanjo shook his head adamantly and refused to meet her eye.

"Okay. Are you going to tell me, or do I have to _wrestle_ it out of you? I always win that way, don't I?" she grinned.

"Go ahead. We know you stopped winning some years back, due to…unidentified reasons," said her friend smugly, tapping the desk with his pen. "…so you're not getting anything out it like that, sweetie."

Shiromy growled and jumped out of her chair, pouncing on him and grabbing a handful of his jet-black hair. Sanjo gasped but put up little resistance as he was pushed out of his chair. They both fell onto her bed, onto which she pinned his arms and legs. 

The sun crept out from behind the curtained window, making strands of her black hair appear golden- brown from its touch. 

"I am Romy Warrior Princess," she huffed, oblivious to the fact that her friend was biting his lip. "I have won, because someone didn't even _bother_ to put up a good fight. But, I won anywayz, _so_," she said, head butting him, "You have to tell me!"

Sanjo laughed shakily, unmoving under her. 

"Um. Uh, will you let go of me now? I…I didn't think you'd do that again, not since…"

Shiromy frowned and stared at her friend in shock.

"What the…!" she shrugged off his arm and released her captive slowly, standing up. "You're blushing! Omigosh!" 

Her eyes widened and she observed him as though he had grown another head.

Before anything could be explained, her fellow friends in orphanage barged into the room. Jade was attempting the Moonwalk and Philomena was in DJ mode with the radio on her shoulder. Shiromy groaned at the sound of 'Right Thur' blaring from it. 

"Turn it off! Turn the bloody thing off! I absolutely _hate_ that song, if you could call it a song!" She raged across the room like a mad buffalo, hands clawing at the intrusive object. Philomena hurriedly rescued her CD before Shiromy could toss it out the window.

"Hey Joe 'bro! Howz it goin'? What have you been doing with this madwoman of ours?" she asked, while the other two were busy squabbling over the radio. She wondered why he was looking a little flushed.

Shiromy glanced up at them, forgetting about the fight.

"Actually, I think that song is pretty funky," said Sanjo hurriedly, looking everywhere and nowhere.

"Well you'll never guess what…" Shiromy paused as he looked at her pleadingly. "…what just happened. I dared him to one of our prestigious wrestling events and…I won!" she declared, throwing her hands up in triumph.

"Wow! You haven't won in ages have you? But…don't you think it's a little too late to start that again, Rom?" inquired Jade, raising her eyebrows.

Sanjo coughed lightly and muttered a 'see ya later', heading for the door. 

"Oh he just can't face the fact that he'd lost that's all! Poor baby!" teased Shiromy, hoping her friends would not notice anything. 

"Stop being so silly for goodness sake! Joe, your Mum wants to see me about the fundraising, so I'll join you," said Jade, following him.

Philomena watched them leave the orphanage. She was trying to guess what might have occurred between her friends, but an amber light seemed to weave itself around Jade and Sanjo. After spending the holidays with her new- found relatives, Philomena secretly desired to gain her full powers, but sometimes things like these made her feel like she was plain crazy. She blinked till the light evaporated slowly, and turned to Shiromy, who had suddenly commenced studying.

"Go away. I have work to do," she said without raising her eyes from her books.

"Of course, so do I, but not until we settle something. I saw the look on his face as he walked out that door." 

She approached her apparently busy friend and laid her hands on her shoulders.

"I think he kinda…likes you, Romy. He has, for a long time." 

Shiromy snorted and rolled her eyes, proceeding to sing the theme from Days of Our Lives.

"Don't be ridiculous, Miss Matchmaker! He was just embarrassed that's all! Though I didn't have the slightest idea that he would be…we've _always_ thought of each other as buddies."

"What if he doesn't feel that way anymore?"

Shiromy regarded her friend wearily.

"I hope not Phil. I really hope not. He's cute, smart and I love him as a friend or brother, but anything else is impossible. You can't fall for your pals! How desperate is that?"

Philomena nodded understandingly and sat on Shiromy's bed smilingly.

"Well, at least it's a nice change to see that you've been staying clear away from…youknowwho for three weeks…"

"You _can_ utter his name aloud, dear. He's not Voldemort!" retorted Shiromy. Philomena slapped a hand on her forehead as her friend slowly acquired 'that look' on her face again. It was almost like bloodlust, and made her look precisely what she reviled.

"I've got some groundbreaking news from Ira Redfern today," she said, promptly changing the subject. "Everyone's looking high and low for I quote 'a Nightworlder with a mutation and enough power to blow up this whole world if they chose to.' Looks like they're urgently trying to find this person; whoever it might be…"

Shiromy hissed and laughed brittly.

"Oh let's see…is it another Millennium Battle coming our way? Yay! What fun! Who's gonna be in the tribes _this_ time?"

Philomena sighed and crossed her legs.

"It's no joke. And I don't think it's like the Battle. They've got spies _everywhere_. What if…what if one of us turns out to be…"

"Phil, before you run away with that great and wonderful imagination of yours, I'll remind you that we're not Nightworlders. We don't want anything to do with that lot."

"We don't even _know_ who we are Romy. Alright, I found out that I'm a Harman, but I don't know who my father was. Jade was apparently abandoned by her derelict parents, but she doesn't know much about them either. And _you_," she pointed out, "You know nothing about yours except that the hunters got them, and that your parents named you 'Shiromy'. Hey, I never thought about it before, but how _did_ they figure out your name?"

"It was sewn on my handkerchief," answered the owner of the name. "Someday I'll find out everything about my parents, and so will you." 

Philomena sighed and gave her a quick hug.

"I'm sure we will Romy."

"Gee, we have lots of things to do this year don't we?" There's Year Twelve of course, my history and…_him_ to worry about," she pondered. "Meanwhile a mutated Nightworlder is being hunted down, and Sanjo's, heaven forbid, in love with me. It's going to be a rather interesting year…"

'Cause it's a bittersweet symphony, this life… 

******


	6. Chapter Six: Crushed

Chapter Six

The class was in utter chaos. Most of the students were absorbedly conversing with each other, barely aware that they were in a classroom at all. The teacher begged and slammed a metre ruler against the blackboard for silence, to no avail. As she was about to give up, she looked pleadingly at the quieter pupils at the front. Jade decided that enough was enough and stood up. She trilled a note so high that later, everyone swore could have shattered glass.

The effect was immediate. The formerly noisy class fell into a hush that seemed to have been there right from the start.

"Thank you Jade. As I was just trying to say," said the teacher, "You have a test…next Monday."

Now not only were they silenced, but some of them came close to fainting.  

"…but Mrs Bunsen," began half the shocked students.

"Those of you who have been consistent with your work will I'm sure, have no problems. However those of you who _haven't_ probably _would_."

Shiromy rubbed at her aching temples, wondering why the school would be so cruel as to put them through exam torture in the sixth week of term. She stared hard at her open book, wishing the electrochemical cell would just reduce _her_…because not only has Jesse taken a seat behind her where he could comfortably drill his eyes on her back, but was most irritatingly stroking her ankle like it was something he would do everyday.

Losing her patience, she whirled around to face him.

"Will you _stop_ it!" she hissed furiously, staring daggers into his bemused green eyes.

"…Shiromy, could you tell us the answer to question twenty- two please?" asked the teacher, narrowing her eyes.

"I, I'm not…up to that yet, Mrs Bunsen," she stammered, turning around quickly with a sheepish smile on her face.

"Don't worry Mrs Bunsen, she was helping me with question twenty- one," explained Jesse calmly.

"Alright Mr Ingram. Shiromy, you may assist your peers, but I fully expect you to keep up with your own work."

Shiromy briefly gave her 'peer' a hidden finger, but she pulled her chair in sharply when his only reaction was to give her ankle some final taps.

As she was relaxing at the mall after school with Jade and Philomena, her mobile phone unexpectedly started chiming 'Clocks' cheerfully. Passer-bys hummed the tune as they walked past. 

"Romy, your mobile," indicated Jade, before its owner could realise that it was her own phone that was ringing.

"A message," she announced. That was strange. No- one except her three best friends and guardian Merryl knew her number, and why would Sanjo message her at this time? "It must be from Merryl," she decided. 

"Who from?" inquired her friends. 

"Dunno…"

"Question 21: Anyone seen Garson's fangs lying around? We have checked lost property…" they read.

"Oh it's that…that," she spluttered over her friends' badly smothered giggles. "It's not even funny; what're you laughing for? How did he get my number anyway?"

"Sanjo," said Philomena before she could stop herself. 

"Oh him, he'll pay for this," she growled menacingly, waving her mobile around like a sword. She was about to return it to her bag when she thought of something.

"A comeback," she muttered, as her friends groaned.

'Answer to Q 21: Check her mouth. You are sure to get an instant reward for finding them.'

*******

Jesse smiled as he read the message. He understood that she would be enraged to find out that he had her number. He just hoped that she wouldn't strangle poor Sanjo for it.

"It's so ironic," he contemplated, "how she could be one of Sanjo's best buddies and have his best friend for her worst enemy at the same time."

After all she had hated him from the very beginning…

_It was the first day of primary school and six- year old Jesse did not feel the slightest apprehension. He marched into the classroom proudly, feeling quite old. He sat next to a quiet, tall Asian boy who grinned at him._

_"I'm going to have lots of friends," he decided, smiling back and surveying the room and its contents. He did not even bat an eyelid when the boy in front of him flashed his fangs at him._

_So you're a Nightworlder. *Wowie* he replied, making a face at a now pale vampire. _

_"I don't wanna go! I don't wanna go, Phillie! It's too scary! Where's Merr?" wailed a voice that was coming from the door. He stared at what seemed like a humanoid golliwog was being half carried into the room by a blonde girl half her height. _

_"It's okay Romy, it's okay," soothed the girl called 'Phillie'. She smiled wearily at Jesse, seating her visibly shaking friend next to him. _

_"Ohhh! What a *baby*!" he sniggered at Romy, laughing. The rest of the class stared at the trembling girl whose face crumpled at once._

_"I don't wanna sit next to this nasty boy," she whimpered before her hands covered her face. She bawled loudly and was immediately led to the opposite side of the classroom by her friend. _

_Jesse glanced at the boy who had smiled at him. He was gazing solemnly at the crying girl. _

_"That wasn't very nice," he said, frowning._

_"It was just a joke…really," protested Jesse._

_As the teacher arrived, Jesse hoped that the boy would still want to be friends…_

"Then things got worse," he thought desolately, reclining on his bed and swigging a Coke. "Thanks to myself…"

"_Was it plain bad luck or did she deliberately go and make the choice?" he speculated, looking intently at twelve- year old Shiromy who hesitantly stepped into the cafeteria. She was wearing a humungous pair of spectacles that nearly covered her whole face, giving her the appearance of an old lady. Sanjo looked away embarrassedly as Jesse and his other friends guffawed at his friend._

_Seeing this, Shiromy hastily snatched off her new glasses and hid behind Jade and Philomena. Why did things have to be like this? As soon as Jesse and his gang made fun of her, so did the rest of the grade, save her friends. Her enemy nodded back, still laughing, when she gave him a steady death- stare. _

For most part of that year, he went on taunting her more than ever. He did not intend to give her such a hard time; only he loved to see her fume. It was all just a harmless game,

Until one day…

_She hurried away from class, scolding herself. It was her own fault anyway- she had been reading the entire works of Tolkien when she was supposed to be doing her homework. Consequently, Ingram the Evil still topped the class while she dwindled in the middle. _

_The real reason why she was almost running was because she *truly* wasn't in the mood for his antics today. She wanted to avoid him mock, scoff and snicker, so she had to go the long way to the bus- stop, where she could meet Jade and Phil. _

_She sprinted past the corridors and sneaked into the quadrangle, her heavy bag making her back ache a little. _

_Too late._

_There he was, with than maddening smirk on his face and gleam in his eyes like he was about to be given extra pocket money._

_"Feisty Garsy, think you're too good to be my *friend*?" he drawled, glancing at Blayde Dashward, one of his irksome sidekicks. "Giving us the slip eh?" he said, hands in pockets, slowly circling her like a predator._

_"Get lost, get lost," was all she could manage since her head was simmering with dislike of her rival. _

_Meanwhile a small crowd of students had gathered around them, eager to see how it would go on._

_"Don't you think you should pull up your socks a little higher? I've noticed how they don't *quite* reach your knees as usual," crooned Jesse, inspecting her legs carefully. This was about the fiftieth time he'd said that. "Anyway, you're going to study hard tonight with those nice huge glasses, aren't you?" Another one._

_"You've said those things over and over. Don't you think you should get some new ones?" she spat, burning with fury and humiliation. _

_His eyes twinkled excitedly and he leaned closer to her. "Well how about this one Garsy?" _

_…And he whispered something in her ear fit enough to boil her blood._

_Shiromy's eyes widened in initial surprise then hate, and she growled instinctively, feeling her nails dig into her palms. With a sudden lurch, she grabbed him roughly by the collar with both hands, lifting him some inches off the ground. As the now large crowd chanted 'fight, fight' infectiously, she slammed his back against the wall._

_"Thanks for letting me know about that, you creep. From now onwards, if you say another thing, if…if you don't leave me alone, I'll kill you. I *swear* I will." She breathed heavily on him, sweat trickling down her dark face. He gaped at her dazedly, wishing he hadn't taken things this far. Now she would *really* hate him._

_Suddenly the tension between them seemed to manifest itself physically, for Jesse felt something stinging at his throat. He looked down at her hands, which were gradually decreasing in their hold on him. He stared at her uneasily as a fuzzy haze started to grow between them; within them. Shiromy let go of him at once, looking stunned. He tumbled onto the floor and gasped in pain._

_"What did you just do?" he asked shakily, trying to look apologetic through it all. He realised that it was nothing that had come from her, because she seemed as dumbfounded as him._

_"Don't know and don't care," gulped Shiromy, turning away. She looked at the equally confused crowd for a second and walked away, leaving Jesse to guess at whatever just occurred…_

Afterwards, he had continued to tease her, if not in the same way as before, in others. She in turn, would steer the game in her own direction, avenging him as best as she could. She had put a pin on his chair once, and constantly reminded him of what she was capable of. There had been numerous other tricks besides, but he had always won in the end.

"At least that's what she thinks," he thought grimly, crushing the empty can. 

Unfortunately, he had grown to _love _her as much as she despised him. Every little bit of the game that he had won merely made him feel more crushed, not victorious. And no- one knew. Not his friends and not even _her_. He remembered her once more, as she had appeared at breaking point. Those eyes- flaming and dilated, with the primal but ethereal beauty of a lamia. 

"No, I don't stand a chance now, and I don't deserve to," he thought angrily. "Not after I put her through and told her the horrible truth she should never have known. I've made an eternal enemy out of someone I'm meant to be with."

Because deep down, he knew what had happened that day…

**A/N**: Thanks to C.M (you know who you are!) for letting me borrow your life for a particular part of this chapter!

*******


	7. Chapter Seven: Impressions

Chapter Seven

He walked slowly past the swimming complex and towards the gymnasium, lost in thought. He had finally asked her, and she had turned him down gently, but surely. What did he expect anyway? That she would throw her arms around him in joy?

"I love you heaps," she had said, "as a friend, but I can't feel anything more. I'm so sorry." 

…so that's what they will always be: friends. He knew she had been flattered that he asked, but that was it. No, he won't even think of anyone else. It was the first time he had felt something like this and it would be the last. Only, why did he have to fall for his _friend_? Why Romy? It could easily have been one of those girls that giggled and flirted around him.

Sanjo sighed, refusing to let the sadness from his past lives ebb from the waves of this current dilemma. It was always like that. Whenever something depressing happened, similar memories would come crashing down like blocks from the centuries past. One on top of each other.

"Go away, go away," he thought, splashing some water from the drinking fountain onto his face. He would go home alone today, telling his friends he had extra homework or something. They would believe him anyway, since they thought he was some kind of study geek. Then he would do some meditation to free some of the pain, or his parents would be worried. Besides, it was normal for life to throw things at you, and all you can do is try to move on…

******

Jade balanced herself on the high beam, arms to her sides, and swiftly did some flips and twists, landing perfectly.

"It's a little unfair that Richter let me into the team instead of Lucia Jovellanos," she thought guiltily. "After all, she's not the one with shapeshifter blood."

Feeling a little daring in the isolated gym, she did an impromptu floor routine, singing On the Beautiful Blue Danube aloud. Suddenly she noticed a pair of half- downcast eyes gazing blankly at her. He stood slumping in the doorway, hands in pockets.

"Sanjo you perve," she yelped embarrassedly. Looking more closely, she realised that something was wrong. "What's the matter? You look awful."

"Thanks," he muttered darkly, turning away.

"Hey, don't go!" she chirped, running after him. "I think I'm a good listener, so do tell me what happened. It might help you know," she said comfortingly, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Sanjo did not bring himself to say anything for a while. His eyes flittered about her face, as if he was reluctant to let her see the pain reflected there. 

"Well," she asked softly.

"She…she said she can't," he gulped, looking down and blinking furiously.  

"She? Oh you mean Romy don't you? Phil and I knew you had it coming all along Joe. I'm so sorry," she whispered, suddenly feeling as miserable as him herself. If only she could say something fitting, blame someone. However there was no- one to blame, since neither of them was at any fault. 

"I don't know what to say Sanjo," she admitted sadly. "I know you've always kinda…kinda liked her. It's too bad she doesn't feel like that too…maybe you guys just aren't meant for each other. You aren't soulmates or anything…"

"Don't say that!" he snapped. He watched as tears came to her eyes, and she looked away. "Sorry Jade. You know, you're probably right, I just can't face it yet." 

She nodded, smiling broadly, eyes shining. Before Sanjo could present his prepared speech about having loads of homework to do, she quickly pulled on her trackpants and shirt on top of her gym suit and linked her arm through his.

"Come on, let's catch the bus back to your place. They don't have to know all about it right now, if you don't want them to," she sniffed. 

He agreed, letting her lead him out of the gym. 

"Jade?" 

"Hmm?" 

"You're a real good gymnast…and a great friend too." 

"Thanks Sanjo, and trust me, everything's gonna be fine."

Jade wondered why she was feeling like she just received some good news. How could she be happy when one of her friends was just going through a hard time? She decided that it had something to do with being picked to be in the school gymnastics team…

*****

"Gee, she's cute. If I were him, I wouldn't just stand there _drivelling_…"

He grabbed his assistant by sleeve, glaring.

"You're here to help me look for clues, moron. How would you like me to tell the boss you're not doing the job properly? 'Cause if I don't find him or her on time," he said lowly, "You're going to pay."

The assistant nodded fearfully. It wouldn't do to annoy him: he was lamia.

"Well, it can't be either of those two, can it? I mean look at them! Do they even faintly look _mutated_…?"

"The mutation may not stare you in the face ok? I know both those people to some degree, and no- one know much about _her_…or her two other foster sisters for that matter. They're all orphans," he said slowly in sudden realisation.

"We can definitely leave out San…the Old Soul. I know that his parents are full- blooded vermin. The girl and her friends should be followed more closely…"

Unbeknownst to the retreating figures of the shapeshifter and her friend, two men left the gym, looking nothing more than two patrons…

_No one knows what it's like _

_To be the bad man…_

Behind blue eyes… 

******


	8. Chapter Eight: At Home

Chapter Eight

"Romy!" yelled Merryl.

Shiromy closed her book and threw her pen down grudgingly. She began to complain to her foster mother about having to study for the exams and stopped when she saw her holding out the phone to her.

"It's your friend, Jesse," said Merryl, raising her eyebrows.

Shiromy wished her 'friend Jesse' would just leave her alone. She was in half a mind to ask Merryl to tell him she's busy, but she relented. Maybe it was something important. Or maybe he is in the process of starting a new Game…

"Hello? What 'dyu want?" she snapped.

"Alright. I'll get to the point. What's up with Sanjo? He won't hang around us anymore and won't say anything…mumbled your name once when I tried to get him to talk, so I figured it's something to do with you. What the hell's going on?" he asked.

"None of your business," Shiromy murmured coldly. "but unfortunately, he's your friend too, so I suppose it…is. He…he asked me out and I said 'no'. That was it," she said quickly, but firmly.

There was a silence on the other end of the phone that made her guess that he might fume at her.

"Oh. This isn't some joke right? It isn't something else?" he inquired suspiciously.

"No," she was about to launch her missiles of thoughts at him, but didn't. Why should _he_ know everything anyway? "It isn't."

He was beginning another pause when she broke in.

"Look, I have to go now and I promise I _haven't_ done anything to truly traumatize him. He'll be over it pretty soon I'm sure."

Replacing the phone back on the receiver, she wondered why he seemed as glad as her that the conversation was put to an end. Perhaps he had to study too. She shrugged and was going to return upstairs when Merryl caught her by the sleeve.

"_Well_. Aren't the seasons changin'? I thought you guys are sworn enemies."

"…and always, will be," sang Shiromy, rolling her eyes. "Mum! He was asking after a friend, not _me_, I can assure you.  Thank goodness!" She went back up to her room.

Merryl Garson smiled to herself. She had indeed become like a mother to all three girls. After being cast off by her family for her Daybreak ideas, she had established her own home… and family. Circle Daybreak had assigned her care of the three orphans at her request. First came Philomena, then Shiromy, and after a few more years, Jade. They all had her last name until Philomena found her relatives. Jade, being unsuccessful in finding hers, had assumed her surname from her shapeshifter form. Now Shiromy was the only Garson left. 

"…and she'll find her people too, or decide to join the Nightworld," thought Merryl dismally.

Not to say she had any objections about this. The children's lives, like their names, were not 'real'. Merryl understood that they could only be complete if they found their true identities…and these laid with the Nightworld. She knew they had to find out what was right for themselves.

Merryl heard the sound of the front door being opened.

"Merr! Anything for me?" 

Merryl sighed and shook her head sadly. Jade had still not given up the notion of reuniting with her family, even though no news about them had reached her since her abandonment.

"Jade, is Romy alright? Jesse gave her a call just now, but she wouldn't tell me what's happening. I don't mean to…_interfere_," she whispered, making a face at the word. "but mums are mums, by blood or not…"

"You have to promise not to breathe a word about the whole thing to either of them ok?" said Jade lowly. She whispered the 'secret' into her guardian's ear.

Merryl widened her eyes in surprise.

"That boy! What's gotten into him? Why, you've all been like brother and sisters all your lives!" she said, trying to keep her voice down.

Jade looked away frowningly.

"Not strictly in the sense…I mean, we're not _related_, so there's nothing wrong with that Ma," Jade muttered before running upstairs.

Merryl finished preparing the dinner, thinking how her children have changed. Only last year, Jade would have puked at the thought of friends becoming more than friends.

"Children! Dinner's ready!" she shouted.

At least life goes on, as usual…

*****

The Leader stopped the tape and held a hand up for silence as the Council members began to murmur amongst themselves.

"Well that's good for a trial to see whether the high power recording method is effective," he scoffed, "but Member 266, what can be detected from it? Where's your _evidence_? What is so important about that telephone call you brag so much about?"

"Simple. Could you please rewind the tape to the particular part, please sire?"

As the scene was run in slow motion, the Council Members stared keenly as a golden mist evolved from or into the mouthpiece as the girl took hold of the phone and spoke into it. They watched as it gradually increased in intensity towards the end of the call.

"Since the mist disappeared _after_ the call," he explained somewhat proudly, "I conclude that _he_ is probably it after all."

The Council members started nodding and speaking excitedly. "Ha. That will give 'em something to think about," he thought smugly.

"Silence! Now Member 266, your work does not end here. In fact, you're a long way from that. We don't want any gimmicks or so- called 'mistakes'," said the Leader, "so the next stage is to get close to both of them. The phone idea was ingenuous, but you need to convince me that this is the real thing. After all, Members, do we want to be under fire from the Nightworld _or_ the damned Daybreakers?" he asked rhetorically. 

"No!" chorused the Council, their hooded heads shaking up and down almost simultaneously. 

266 turned away, hiding a smirk. Let them throw more obstacles at him. In the end, the day will be his…

*****


	9. Chapter Nine: The New Boy

Chapter Nine

"Class, we have a new student. This is Hurst Rasmussen formerly of Winfield College in England. He'll be joining us this semester and I hope you make him feel welcome."

All eyes were glued to the newcomer, who nodded once at the teacher and calmly took his seat. Shiromy found herself unable to stop staring at him. How could someone look so… impeccably flawless? For that was exactly what he appeared to be. He had neat dark hair that was nearly black and dark blue eyes. An aura of mystery seemed to surround him.

Shiromy started on one of her daydreaming expeditions when she felt the nudge of an elbow against her arm.

"Psst! Look over at your 'friend'!" whispered Philomena excitedly.

She slowly glanced at Jesse and saw the oddest expression on his face. It was a mixture of abject hate and mortification. What could be the meaning of it?

"I think maybe he knows he might be in for some competition…" she was about to whisper back, when she caught the teacher's watchful eye and sat back on her seat. Philomena nodded, understanding what her friend was trying to convey to her. Threatening herself of what might happen if she neglected the article before her, Shiromy returned her attention back to her work…

_Brrring!_

She looked up at the clock in surprise. It was lunchtime already! Well that was one advantage of concentrating on your work. Time flew like concords when you did!

Shiromy escaped the crowded classroom hall when a hand clutched hers.

"Woah, what 'dyu think of that _him_ huh?" exclaimed Philomena, swinging her foster sister's arm. They sat in their usual spot under the mango tree.

"Equal to you-know-who in looks, and probably everything else!" twittered Jade.

"I think I'm in love," announced Shiromy, staring mystically at her squashed lunch of pastry.

"Oh no Shiromy, you don't! We really have to talk about goal- setting. You see, it's a good idea, in fact a _great_ idea, to start at an _intermediate_ level…" began Philomena.

"He embodies everything you could possibly dream of. The gorgeous god looks, the million dollar life, a top dog of the Nightworld…"

"The Nightworld?" echoed both her friends sharply.

"Well, you know what I mean! The- the whole tall dark stranger thing!" stammered Shiromy.

Philomena and Jade pretended they perfectly comprehended her explanation.

"Sanjo told me that Hurst Rasmussen turned up at his place a while ago," piped Jade. Though I haven't seen him there myself. Apparently, he travels around a bit."

"Oh, so we hear a lot from Sanjo these days do we?" said Shiromy, her voice a little too sarcastic than she expected.

Jade threw down her chopsticks.

"Well yeah, since someone _else_ has totally avoided him," she retorted. "I wonder when, if ever, he's going to be over you. Oh there he is, sitting all by himself again. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to sit with him."

Her friends watched as she moved to where Sanjo was. Philomena threw a brief glance at her downcast friend. 

"You would think I gave him the death penalty or something," muttered Shiromy. "How many times have I told her that I don't want to end up wrecking his life by pretending to be…" she broke off when the new boy joined Jade and Sanjo.

Shiromy groaned, looking miserably at Philomena.

"If I hadn't pissed her off, maybe I could've even had a 'hey' from him!" 

Philomena rolled her eyes and frowned irritatedly at her.

"Please don't let's start being an airhead!" she murmured quietly and glanced across the courtyard at Jesse Ingram.

 "I take it that you intend to forget the misdemeanours of your 'friend' by the way?"

*****

Jesse tried to stop himself looking in her direction of her table. His eyes involuntarily fixed on her again, and she caught him this time. She glared at him as a tiger or jaguar might, eyes slightly lowered and mouth malevolently curved. He stared back for a moment and turned away, letting her cold gaze drip off him like rain on a winter day.

"Now Blaydie, tell us _truthfully,_ who you think the hottest girl in the school is," he heard a flirtatious voice saying next to him.

"Ah, can't say baby. There's just too many of you…" laughed Blayde, rubbing his chin.

"Decide, decide! You picked 'Truth' hon. Anyone can see you're telling us anything _but_!" crooned the girl.

"Phil H."

The group was silent for a while and Roxy Silverthorn suddenly gasped in shock, getting up from Blayde's lap. She put a hand to her chest in mock surprise.

"Oh! Is this an insult or what Blayde Dashward? After all, I'm blonde, beautiful and smart too! What do you think people?"  
Jesse's friends whistled and laughed, distracting him from his melancholy thoughts. He watched coldly as Roxy put an arm around Blayde's shoulder, seductively whispering in his ear, but loud enough for the rest of them to hear. "Now Blaydie- Boy, Roxy Woxy will soon show you who actually _is_ the hottest. And she would wuv to see you at her parrrty...you too Jes-se," she winked. The vampire girl blew a kiss at them and swayed back to her table, her too short school skirt dancing on her thighs. Jesse shook his head in disgust as Blayde stole a meekly exasperated look at him. Surely his friends won't fall into _that_ trap! But they will inevitably, because they liked parties, they liked the girls and…duh, they had no clue about the Nightworld.

To make things worse, his mortal enemy had unexpectedly installed himself at Stanford High, much to Jesse's chagrin. Hell knows what he'll be up to. Jesse knew that Rasmussen couldn't wreck _his_ personal plans though- those were safe from him.

Not to say that he had seen her looking at the newcomer with some if not plenty of, interest. However that was nothing; all the girls seemed to be quite captivated by Rasmussen's looks and smooth talk. He had everything to make any girl fall for him in a second. Jesse did not at all care about that. It was _her_ that mattered…

As he looked over to where Sanjo was seated, Jesse's thoughts were at once confirmed. Rasmussen was in deep conversation with Jade Nightingale, who was leaning against Sanjo. Meanwhile, Sanjo was gaping at Shiromy like she was some distant star…

And Shiromy was smiling weakly back at him. Sensing another pair of eyes on her, she made a feint cut- throat sign that as its recipient, Jesse could only see. He sighed gloomily and smiled at his friends, completely deaf to the words of their idle talk.

The real question was, how and where is Rasmussen going to change this circle?

*****


End file.
